Overland puts price pressure on DLT library marketMarch 1, 1998
-- Starting at $4,995, Overland Data`s LoaderXpress DLT library may introduce overdue price competitiveness in the low-end DLT market. The desktop library, or "loader," uses a cartridge magazine design typically found in higher-end libraries. An entry-level configuration includes a DLT4000 drive with a five-cartridge magazine, for a native capacity of 100GB. The high-end model 710 is based on a DLT7000 drive and 10-cartridge magazine, for a native capacity of 350GB and a maximum throughput of 18GB

Procom launches RAID, AIT devicesMarch 1, 1998
-- Add Procom Technology to the growing list of RAID vendors who support Fibre Channel. Procom`s Reliant 1000 RAID array, its first entry in the RAID market, scales from 90GB to multi-terabytes. The subsystems include dual controllers, fans, and power supplies. Prices range from $28,995 for a 10-drive unit to $191,795 for a fully configured 50-drive version.

Quantum in volume with Ultra2 SCSI LVD drivesMarch 1, 1998
-- Quantum last month hit volume shipments of its Viking II disk drives, which use the Ultra2 SCSI low-voltage differential (LVD) interface. The 3.5-inch drives are available in 4.5GB or 9.1GB capacities and are compatible with host adapter boards from vendors such as Adaptec, Atto Technology, Diamond Multimedia, and Symbios. Ultra2 SCSI doubles the data transfer rate of existing SCSI implementations to 80MBps.

nStor adds support for SunMarch 1, 1998
-- nStor last month added support for the SunOS and Solaris operating systems in its AdminiStor software, which is used to manage the company`s CR8e RAID subsystems and Ultra SCSI-to-SCSI RAID controllers. The new Unix utilities are an upgrade to nStor`s AdminiStor Storage Management Software Suite, which supports Windows NT, NetWare, SGI Irix, and Sun platforms. The AdminiStor Unix Utilities for Sun are priced at $600.

Unisys enters NAS marketMarch 1, 1998
-- Unisys recently entered the network-attached storage (NAS) server market with the PrimeStor NAS2000 product line. The introduction marks a major move for Unisys, which plans to transition 60% to 70% of its business into the NAS area over the next three years.

Veritas Brings Data Replication to UnixMarch 1, 1998
-- This month, Veritas Software rolled out a data replication tool for automated data distribution. The Veritas Storage Replicator (VSR) is a software-only solution that competes with more expensive hardware-software combos such as EMC`s Symmetrix Remote Data Facility (SRDF) and database replication tools such as those from Oracle and Sybase. Unlike database replicators, VSR replicates all system data.

The State of Solid-State DisksMarch 1, 1998
-- Solid-state disks are high-speed, random-access storage peripherals based on DRAM technology. Originally developed to get memory-speed response from storage devices and to increase the reliability of storage devices, today these disks are used to ease I/O bottlenecks in computer systems running relational database applications. As such, they are sometimes referred to as database accelerators.

Startup enters high- speed RAID raceMarch 1, 1998
-- Claiming a blazing 50,000 I/Os per second, startup XIOtech Corp. recently entered the crowded RAID market. The company`s Magnitude array includes support for up to eight host (Windows NT or NetWare) connections and 1TB of capacity. Company officials attribute the subsystem`s speed in large part to its REDI software technology, which includes:

Legacy ships network- attached arrayMarch 1, 1998
-- Legacy Storage Systems` Universal Data Storage System (UDSS) disk array is a network-attached storage (NAS) device, which Legacy refers to as direct network attach (DNA). Aimed at the market for consolidated Windows NT storage, the eight-bay 144GB UDSS can be daisy chained for more than 1TB of capacity. Features include Ultra Fast and Wide SCSI interfaces and up to 128MB of cache. A 63GB RAID-5 version is priced at $18,900.

JVC combines CD library, duplicator, printerMarch 1, 1998
-- Scheduled for shipments in May, JVC`s MC-Printer Model 200 is a CD-ROM library that bundles six CD-ROM/CD-R/DVD-ROM drives, Windows NT-based disc duplicator software, and an optional 720-dpi label printer. The Windows NT-compatible system holds up to 200 discs for a capacity of 130GB. The duplicator copies up to six discs simultaneously. A CD version of the library is upgradable to DVD. Including the optional printer, the MC-Printer Model 200 is priced at $16,395.

Disk drives: shipments up, prices downMarch 1, 1998
-- What`s bad news for disk drive manufacturers is good news for storage buyers: Prices for hard disk drives have dropped to less than a dime per megabyte -- a trend that should be reflected at the subsystem level over the next few months. Analysts at Disk/Trend Inc., a market research firm in Mountain View, CA, expect drive prices to plummet to less than two cents per megabyte in 2000.

Emass enters NT software arenaMarch 1, 1998
-- Emass this month begins shipments of a Windows NT version of its Amass archival software, a file system that allows NT users to directly access tape libraries and optical jukeboxes. Amass was previously available only for Unix. The software can be used with third-party backup and hierarchical storage management (HSM) packages, such as those from Legato and IBM. The initial release of Amass for Windows NT will support Hewlett-Packard and Plasmon optical jukeboxes. Versions for other secondary and

Digital, MicroNet add 18GB drivesMarch 1, 1998
-- - An 18GB drive that boosts the capacity of StorageWorks subsystems to 2TB. The 18GB drives are based on the Ultra-SCSI interface and have a disk rotation speed of 7,200rpm.

CA enhances optical management softwareMarch 1, 1998
-- Computer Associates last month released the 2.0 version of its File Jockey software for accessing and managing optical jukeboxes. Supported technologies include magneto-optical (MO), phase-change and write once read many (WORM) optical devices, and Intel or Alpha-based servers running Windows NT 4.0. The software makes jukeboxes appear to administrators as a single drive. File Jockey is part of CA`s ARCserve family of storage management software packages.

Andataco adds management softwareMarch 1, 1998
-- Following the trend toward centralized management of storage resources, Andataco recently released a storage management tool called Client/Server Storage Manager (Client/S). The software allows users to monitor and manage Andataco`s GigaRAID/HA storage arrays from a single workstation. Client/S runs only on Sun Solaris platforms. Version for HP-UX and Windows NT are due within the next month. Price: $895.

EMC tackles NT, adds Fibre ChannelMarch 1, 1998
-- Following its mission to consolidate storage across disparate platforms, EMC last month introduced a number of products aimed at the high end of the Windows NT storage market. Examples include Fibre Channel connectivity on its Symmetrix Enterprise Storage arrays (EMC already supports Fibre Channel for HP and Sun Unix platforms), support for NT in the Symmetrix Manager for Open Systems software, and compatibility with Microsoft Cluster Services (MSCS).

Emulex enhances PCI Fibre Channel adaptersMarch 1, 1998
-- To boost performance, Emulex has added "Superfly" ASIC technology to its line of LightPulse LP7000 PCI Fibre Channel host adapters. Emulex claims to have achieved more than 11,000 I/Os per second in a Windows NT environment. "Superfly" is based in part on the company`s "Firefly" architecture. The adapters use 233MHz StrongARM processors with on-chip instruction and data caches. Emulex provides software drivers for Windows NT, Solaris, AIX, Unixware, and NetWare. Production shipments begin this m

HP announces complete CD-RW solutionMarch 1, 1998
-- Bundled with 10 software applications from manufacturers such as Adaptec, Adobe, Corel, Documagix, HP, and Norton, HP`s SureStor CD-Writer Plus 7200 drive is a complete CD-RW solution for home and business use. The software applications enable users to create audio and photographic CDs, to store and transport large files, and to create a virtually paperless office. The package also includes the latest data protection and virus protection software.

How to Evaluate RAID for VLDBMarch 1, 1998
-- In the last of our three-part series, two IT administrators evaluate key RAID attributes, including performance, redundancy, scalability, portability, configurability, and manageability.

Exposing Fibre ChannelMarch 1, 1998
-- In the parable about the emperor`s fine clothes, it took a child to point out that the emperor was wearing no clothes. Today, the storage industry is so enamored with the fine-spun yarn of Fibre Channel vendors that it seems it`s now time to ask: Are they wearing any clothes?

Fibre Channel Means BusinessMarch 1, 1998
-- Here`s a rundown of the key business benefits of Fibre Channel and the applications that are driving its adoption.

All Eyes on the EnterpriseMarch 1, 1998
-- General-purpose trade publications have done a good job of (over) covering some of the more visible features in the forthcoming Windows NT 5.0. But those publications have ignored the wealth of storage features being integrated into 5.0. Where it lacked the talent, Microsoft tapped a number of storage-savvy third parties--most notably Eastman, HighGround, Seagate Software, and Veritas--to build a number of "enterprise-level" storage functions into the operating system. In reality, the built-in s